David Livingstone: Missionary and Explorer

Young Readers Christian Library

by Sam Wellman

Discusses the explorer's formative years in Scotland, training as a missionary, expeditions to Africa, and many discoveries there.

Genres: Biography, Christian, History, Nonfiction, Africa, Church History, Religion

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Sam Wellman, PhD, is a writer of numerous biographies. He has traveled to Germany many times and twice stayed for several months (in Berlin and Wittenberg). He blogs and tweets on Martin Luther and Frederick the Wise. He lives near Wichita, Kansas.

Reviews

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I was sick and needed to focus my addled mind for the day. Since I was unable to accomplish anything else, a biography written for children was the perfect pass time.

What I found in this book was something far more challenging. Wellman ably handles the subject matter of the great explorer, missionary, geographer, activist, doctor David Livingstone.

Livingstone is a controversial character. A man always advancing, he upset many processes of Victorian England and their extensions into Africa. He was driven by a prescient vision of thousands of villages without the gospel and a strategy of opening interior Africa to honest trade that missionaries might come with economic advancement. He was also driven by a personal desire to explore, to see that which had not been seen, to document that which was previously unknown. And he possessed an amazing mind for these endeavors. His contributions to Africa, to exploration, and to science are impressive.

These ambitions cost Livingstone a lot. He lived an uncomfortable life, often on the trail, in danger from wild animals and violent heathens. He was wounded early in his explorations by a lion and the injury plagued him. He was ill for many years, wrestling with Africa, before she finally won and Livingstone succumbed upon her plains. He was a failure as a father, spending only a few months time with each of his children, either exposing them to great danger when they accompanied him on his trips or neglecting them in England while he was away for years at a time (he didn't meet his last daughter until she was 6 years old). His success as a husband is debatable. He wrote beautiful love letters to his wife, and they conceived six children, yet spent only 4 of their 17 years of marriage together. But Livingstone, motivated by intense spiritual conviction, measured his sacrifices against the Father God and found he hadn't even begun to give enough.

The story of the lands Livingstone explored continued beyond his adventurous life. According to his ambition, missionary work was indeed carried forward as a result of his push to map out Africa's interior, and many who went were inspired by Livingstone himself. In the Congo, Mary Slessor in the lowlands (about whom Wellman has also written a biography) was followed by Dr. Helen Roseveare in the highlands, among hundreds of other workers about whom we lack documentation. While Livingstone's path covered several countries, I cannot help but mentioning the excellent Adam Hochschild's "King Leopold's Ghost", an engaging journalistic account of the history of the Congo from exploration to independence.

This biography was EXCELLENT. Wellman doesn't give a brush up portrait of Livingstone, extolling his every decision as inspired and recommending his sainthood. Rather, Wellman faithfully recounts the complex motivations and decisions of the man, allowing the reader to wrestle with Livingstone. There is lots here to discuss, and I highly commend it to you.

Mary Slessor: Queen of Calabar, Wellman, 1998
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Give me this Mountain, Roseveare, 1966
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

King Leopold's Ghost, Hochschild, 1999
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this aloud for school. The kids all gave it 4 stars. I gave it 3. CN thought it was a fun adventurous book describing the discovery of Africa. MD liked that it showed the courage and bravery of David Livingstone and his desire to help the African people in every way. MK thought the book was inspiring. I thought that David Livingstone was very brave, but at steep cost. His wife died following his passions and desires. He didn’t know his children at all. Family life is the most important relationships we have on earth. It made me sad how little David spent to develop the relationships with his children.

[Ryan Jankowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hear a lot of references to Livingstone from the American pulpit. So not having much familiarity, I read this book and watched a number of biographies. I very much enjoyed the first hundred pages of the book which deal mostly with Livingstone's family life and his formative years. They are supremely impressive and remind me of other teen scholars; such as, John Owen, John Brown of Haddington, etc. I find myself trying to identify the *what* that was the catalyst for such exceptional growth. I also find myself fearing the increasing number of distractions that seem to prevent subsequent generations from going down this path and the inherent pessimism that leads to the belief that our culture is incapable of creating men like this today.

I was less impressed with the missionary efforts of Livingstone. That's inevitably due to my ignorance of what he actually accomplished and what that made possible (or my lack of appreciation for just how important the infrastructure was that he developed). I wanted to hear more about how a Westerner engages a seemingly untapped African culture with a religious paradigm that originated in the East. Instead, Livingstone's life seems predominately occupied with finding trade routes. Routes I am confident were necessary in order for subsequent missionary activity.

There is no question that this man was amazing and driven with a unquenchable thirst to reach the tribes of Africa. There is much to learn from men like this.

[Karie · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED, LOVED this book. -Don't care what age I am, this was great! For obvious reasons (going to Africa), David Livingstone's journeys and adventures in Africa were intriguing. I really "got into" this book, even finding myself quoting some parts to my mom with a British accent! This book was so fun! He is such a type-A go-getter for Christ, doing to work when those other lazy missionaries just sat in their comfort zones. I like how he ditched his mission board once they pushed him, tried to lord over him, and were pretty much a pompous, faithless group of men. Love it. I look forward to ordering and reading other works about/by Livingstone.

[Anete Ābola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read. A crazy man. Wise, fearless, godly. His guiding passion was to bring Gospel to Africans. He wanted to end slave trade and bring Christianity to the continent, that is why he tried to find a river that would be a good product trade route from ocean to inland. He sacrificed a lot of comfort, didn't wait for approvals to start doing things. Quite condensed version of everything he experienced. Glad to finally know him. And his wife, a daughter of missionaries, was ok with long separations and all that such an extreme life entailed. I could not do it, but I am glad they were thinking more alike than not.

So sad that in Latvian there are only censured books of him, praising his geographical measurements and adventures without understanding the reason for all those expeditions.

[Andrea Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t love how David Livingstone’s children basically grew up without a father but the book itself is engaging and well written. There are no other souls on earth for which we are directly responsible than those of our children. If you are going to be a missionary to a remote country and Leave your wife and children to fend for themselves most of the time, then don’t have children.

[Derek van Vliet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, short, informative, and thrilling biography of Doctor Livingstone. I adore the man. One of the Christian heroes for eternity. We thank him for the labour he has done that greatly helped missions in Africa. What a life!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down.....what a wonderful man of God !

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am amazed at what a person of strong faith and able-minded can do!
God is forever faithful to those who put their trust in HIM.

[Melina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite boring

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What sacrifice. What a constitution!

[Dave Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional book, exceptional man. Hard to overstate the significance of his lifetime of work. A life so well-lived.

[Kristy Hetzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guy was hardcore. The book wasn't an easy read-aloud with many difficult African names.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography was about the exciting story of David Livingstone, a courageous man who was a missionary and an explorer in Africa. David grew up in Scotland with his parents and his two brothers. Even from a young age he loved learning and he read many books. Then when he was older he left to study medicine. While he was at university he decided to become a missionary. So in 1840 he first arrived in South Africa. While in South Africa he traveled a lot and suffered from exhaustion, river fever, and wild animals. But he kept going, continuously trusting in God. He journeyed south to Angola, then to Mozambique, and after that Victoria Falls. While he was traveling, he visited different villages and spread God's love and the Gospel to the people he met.
I really enjoyed this book because David Livingstone was such a courageous man that accomplished a lot for Christ. He was also humble. He became very well known around the world, but he never let that get to his head. He also had really strong faith in God, which allowed him to accomplish all that he did.

[Rowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a very simply written but also engaging story of the life of Dr David Livingstone that has encouraged me to look further in detail of his achievements and his seemingly never ending zeal in propelling th gospel against the odds.

I got alot out of this book by reading it in 20 / 30 page sections before bed each night, which gave me food for thought the next day.

It can't be understated that David Livingstone was a man who sacrificed ' Everything ' and lived the life he was called to, to the fullest.

[Jacob Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Livingstone won many awards in his lifetime for his exploration of the interior of Southern Africa. Unfortunately a person can research this incredible man and not find out that the main driving force behind his exploration was sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Africans. This biography was very good and fast placed. It was written for a younger audience, so it glossed over several aspects of his life and ministry. It was quick but good read that encouraged me to be bold with the Gospel.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing I ever knew about David Livingstone was that someone named Stanley went up to him in Africa and said, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume." This little book opened my eyes to a true hero of the faith, a man so dedicated to bringing the gospel to Africa, that although he lost so much on this earth and forged on through it all, he gave so much that has continued to this day and forward, in bringing people to the Lord.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The higher star rating is for the content more so than the format. This book was a good overview of the life and unusual ministry of David Livingstone. After reading it, I have a much better understanding and appreciation for what he did - which was more complicated and controversial than I realized. This book seemed to do a decent job with describing Livingstone without criticizing or glorifying him.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read so many books about David Livingstone that when I picked this one up I was prepared to have to force myself to read it. I was quite pleasantly surprised, however, to find it not only readable but very interesting. It kept my attention all the way through.

Read my full review here.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic introduction to Livingstone and his life work. The series itself is a good starting point for those interested in Christian biographies. I only give it three stars because it leaves room for more exhaustive and compelling biographies of the same individuals. Don't let the rating discourage you from picking these up - just let them be a springboard to future reading.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! We read this in preparation for our trip to Livingstone, Zambia. It was a great introduction to the good Doctor and all his adventures.

[Miriam Schoenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livingstone's life was way more fascinating than I had believed. The author tells it well.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

thrilling book